SGA : Code Z
by Sindri LaVey
Summary: As if he didn't have enough to deal with, finding out there was a Captain on Atlantis he didn't know, Sheppard's got his hands full dealing with what McKay refers to as...well, as Zombies


Riiiiiiight. Long time, new series. I've recently been obsessed with SGA. It's awesome and I'm a sucker for geeky scifi. :p I don't pay much attention to timelines or the like, I blame my incredibly short attention span. Here is a little thing to help with name pronunciation. _Fyrynnae (Fear-in-nay). _

Chapter 1: You have no idea who I am, do you?

"Unscheduled off world activation!"

John Sheppard was out of his seat and in the control room in a flash, followed closely by Samantha Carter and the rest his team along with Dr. Jennifer Keller, the call interrupting their morning meeting.

Chuck glanced at them briefly before refocusing on his screen. "It's Lt. Kobayash's IDC, Colonels."

"Atlantis! Lower the shield, we're getting slaughtered!" The words were punctuated with P90 fire and screams. Chuck didn't wait for the order and had the shield down before the man finished speaking.

"Med team to the gate room!" John flew down the stairs, taking an offered side arm and aimed for the gate. Two battered, bruised and bleeding men came charging through, carrying a third between them. He was gushing blood from the tear in his neck. "Who else?" John shouted over the suddenly noise room. He snapped his attention back to the gate when another man stumbled through, slipping on blood pooling on the floor.

The man he recognized, even through all the blood and filth. First Lieutenant Brodie O'Connell.

"Colonel! We still have people over there!"

John was sure the young man was going to turn and go back, but just then the room exploded with P90 fire as yet another person came through the gate, firing in an straight line all the way across the puddle.

"Raise the shield!" The cry was full of authority, fear, and panic.

"What about the others?"

John wasn't sure who asked it, but he was definitely sure of the answer.

"There is no one else."

Following Carter to the infirmary, John was almost bowled over by the sheer level of activity. Keller and most of her staff were attempting to staunch the bleeding on the young man the two others had brought in, while the four other occupants had a nurse each. He sought out Lieutenant O'Connell, finding the man flat on his back, torn vest and shirt cut open to reveal his flayed chest. His face bore smaller scratch marks, and one of his hands was gashed open on the back, giving peeks at tendons and muscles. "Lieutenant," he greeted the weary looking man

"Sir."

"You going to be alright?" He asked the injured lieutenant, but his eyes sought out the nurse.

"Brodie will be just fine, no doubt already figuring out ways to show off his new battle scars," The nurse shook her head and dumped a generous, or was it torturous, amount of rubbing alcohol on the lieutenant's chest. "And I better not be on the receiving end of one of those attempts or so help me, Brodie O'Connell, I will tell your Captain."

The man was biting his lip at the harsh treatment but John could see the mischievous gleam in his blue eyes.

"And the rest of his team?" John asked the nurse.

The lithe woman rolled her eyes. "They're fine, thank the heavens. I swear, Colonel that this team is just as bad as yours. I see them as much as I see you or Ronon. Cathan Reily is the least injured, just a busted arm and a few mild lacerations, and Deagan McLear is suffering from a mild concussion, and a few severe cuts that are going to require stitches, and at least four broken ribs. Their Captain is over there. I haven't spoken to Amy about her yet." The woman returned to her aggressive treatment.

John was amazed that there was such a team, aside from his own and possibly Major Lorne's that was so...unlucky. And he as he approached the one appointed 'Captain', he realized he didn't recognise the mismatched eyes that were looking up at him from under tangled, blood matted hair.

"Colonel Sheppard."

He felt oddly disconcerted that he didn't know this woman's name when she knew his. "Captain." He glanced at her bloodied face, watching the nurse clean a wicked gash that ran from the corner of the woman's mouth back to just under her ear. "How are you holding up?" He folded his arms across his chest, shifting his weight to one hip. The look she was giving him almost made him want to meekly withdraw his query

"I'm alright, sir..." she didn't even blink as the nurse doused a cotton swatch in alcohol and applied it to her face. "I'm afraid that Lieutenant O'Connell took the worst damage this time."

John couldn't get around the fact that he couldn't place this woman face with a name. He just couldn't remember ever having seen her. _Maybe it's because she plain_, the voice in John's head spoke up. It was true. Her eyes were the only noteworthy feature, slightly almond shaped, her left was a reddish brown, and her other was a light green. But they were set in a pale face with pale lips and small nose.

"Sir?"

He shifted his weight again to his other hip, arching an eyebrow at her slightly concerned look. He frowned when she echoed his expression.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?"

He thought her tone was rather accusing, and was about to call her on it, he even took a step forward, but when he slipped a little and glanced down, he figured it could wait. Her hands, he just noticed, were shredded and dripping quite the puddle on the floor. "My office, Captain, when you're finished here."

"Yes sir."

Stepping into his office an hour later, the colonel nearly backpedaled. His desk had stacks of precariously leaning papers; mission reports and that sort. "Sparring with Ronon, or..." he eyed the piles, grimacing at the morally difficult decision.

"Do you normally talk to yourself, sir?"

John hid his jump with a sigh as he turned and looked down. It was the short woman from the infirmary. She was peering up at him, dressed in a clean set of BDU's and looking a hell of a lot better herself, save for the stitches on the side of her face. He smiled tightly, and moved aside to allow her in. He dropped himself down in his chair, leaning back and planting his feet on his desk. "Name, rank and when did you start serving on Atlantis." He requested.

"Rynnae Lockhart, Captain. I came with Colonel Everett."

That wasn't what he expected. "Really?"

She nodded.

He took a moment to peruse her physique again now that she was clean. Her hair was a pretty copper colour, but not quite eye-catching. She was slender, and about as tall as Teyla. It still bothered him. He was fairly sure that he knew just about everyone under his command."Well, Captain Lockhart, I didn't appreciate your tone back in the infirmary. It was pretty disrespectful." He saw her stiffen and she was standing at attention.

"I apologize, sir. I suppose I was still on edge from the mission. My apologies."

The air was uncomfortably charged with apprehension. What was she worried about? What did she expect him to do? His earpiece crackled.

"_Sheppard, we're ready for the debriefing_," Carter's voice came through.

He stood up. "Well, what a coincidence. So are we."

_"We? Colonel?_"

He could hear the amused curiousity in her voice. "Yes. Captain Lockhart and myself. Be there asap." He gestured for the short Captain to precede him from his office. The walk to the conference room was silent, a bit awkward, if John was to be asked. He was usually quite at ease with his people, but he couldn't help but glance askance at the Captain with suspicion.

Once everyone was seated, McKay looking uneasily at the four people he'd never had contact with before, and Ronon and Teyla both just nodding in greeting, Carter started the debriefing once the doors closed.

"What happened out there? How did we lose seven of our people on a simple resupply and reconstruct mission?" She asked, leaning on the table, lacing her fingers together.

There was a tense silence where the four team members in question simply looked at each other. Rynnae sighed. "We were just finish up helping the villagers with the repairs from the last hurricane when we heard the first screams. I was with Lieutenant O'Connell on the farthest side of the village, by the time we made it back...it was a massacre, a blood bath. People from the neighbouring village came rushing at us from the trees, attacking anyone they could reach. Major Ikeda was trying to help those he could back to the gate...he went back as soon as Lt. Kobayashi took over. We tried to help him, but he was overwhelmed. We met up with Sergeant Reily and Arms Specialist McLear. We were...Lieutenant O'Connell was taken down trying to help that young marine, Sgt. Reily and myself went to help. I got separated from my team at that point. I couldn't find anyone else still alive except those that were..."

"Attacking?" Carter offered absently, her mind trying to grasp the scenario the captain had just laid out for her.

"No ma'am."

There were curious looks all around.

Lieutenant O'Connell shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the sparkle of mischief gone from his eyes. "Eating." he was staring blankly down at the table.

"Excuse me?" John leaned forward, wondering if he'd heard right.

The captain pinned him with a shadowed gaze. "They weren't merely attacking, Colonel. They were eating people, our people. How do you think that marine ended up missing a chunk of his neck?"

Again John wanted to call her on her disrespectful tone, but chose to scowled at her instead. He was rewarded with her lowering her eyes and slightly bowing her head. "So what? Two villages living in relative peace, and one just decides to turn cannibal?" He eased back in his seat.

"That does not make sense," Teyla frowned heavily. "Those two villages have always been at peace."

Keller spoke up. "Could it have been something natural? Like a pathogen or sickness?"

Ronon shook his head. "I've never heard of one that makes people _eat_ other people."

Carter drummed her fingers on the table and sighed after a moment. "There's only one way to know..."

McKay dropped his tablet on the table with a thud as he deduced that the woman was thinking. "What? You want us to go back there? What if it's contagious? Or those things are still out there?"

"It's the only way Rodney. I don't see why you need to go though, I mean, it's just a few cannibals."

He gaped at Carter, then glowered. "I see what you're doing. But it won't work. I don't care if I'm labeled a coward, I'm not going."

"Don't worry, Colonel Carter," Cathan Reily quipped. "We can be in and out without too much of a problem. If I had any sense in my head, I'd probably side with Dr. McKay."

"Sgt. Reily, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but your team just returned, and you all have injuries-"

"Ma'am, if I may say something."

Carter gave the woman a reproachful look but gave her the go-ahead. "Captain."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I must request that my team and I go." She leveled her mismatched gaze on the Colonel. "We, as in my team, Lt. Kobayashi's team, and Major Ikeda's team, all made a pact. We don't leave our people behind, dead or alive."

John was against the decision to let Captain Lockhart and her team accompany them. The stern look on his face and the disapproving glower were clear indicators. Ronon stood next to him, and then Teyla and Dr. Keller. Captain Lockhart stood just behind him with her men...He scoffed inwardly. They weren't men, they were boys. Boys that shouldn't have been allowed to come to the Pegasus Galaxy. He lifted a hand to signal they were ready and the gate was dialed.

"Don't raise the shield right away," he said loud enough to be heard at the controls. "We may have to retreat as soon as we get there."

"That wouldn't be much fun."

John snapped his head around to see which of the Captain's men spoke, but all were straight-faced. He glared at each of them, saving Lockhart for last before gazing forward and moving through the gate. Once there, he had to force himself not to vomit.

Bodies. Mutilated, torn, half eaten bodies lay strewn about on the once white sand. The stench of decay and rot was thick. Keller ducked behind the gate, losing the contents of her stomach violently.

"Doc? You okay?"

John could just hear McKay. _Okay? Okay? How in the hell do you expect anyone to be 'okay' looking at this? There is something seriously wrong with you, buddy._ Just hearing the eccentric man's voice made him want to smile.

"I'm fine, Sergeant."

He turned to face the group. "Ronon, Teyla, search for survivors. Specialist McLear, you help Dr. Keller. O'Connell, Reily, go that way, Captain, you're with me. Let's find our people and get outta here." He turned and began walking towards the village that was in the jungle centre. He stepped gingerly, trying to avoid the frequent body parts that were scattered all over. He could faintly here Lockhart following him, and stopped to allow her to catch up. "So..."

She was silently scanning the area, P90 ready.

"You been with the same team since you arrived?" He asked. Interrogation. The only reason he paired off with her.

"No."

He looked at her. "No?"

"That's correct sir. Brodie, Cathan, Deagan and I have been a team for a long time before coming here. We ran several Black Ops missions together, and more missions of the not so vital kind." She glanced up at him. "Why, sir?"

He shrugged. "I like to get to know the people under my command, Captain. Lt. O'Connell I know, but you, Sgt. Reily, and Specialist McLear I don't." He crouched suddenly, falling back into the foliage that grew thick on either side of the sandy path. He saw Lockhart do the same on the other side.

A heavy wheezing reach his ears, and an over powering smell of rot assaulted his nose before he ever saw the creature. It was hunched as it came bursting out of the foliage ahead of them, then straightened. It was close enough that Sheppard could see it's eyes rolling wildly, it's teeth gnashing on air. It was human, he realized with a jolt. But their face was contorted, their body twisted. It hissed before barreling onward. Sheppard cautiously stepped into the path again, still crouched and listening hard for any indication it was coming back. He motioned for Lockhart to join him. "That's what did this?" He whispered.

She nodded, taking point, staying low to the ground.

he tapped his radio. "Ronon, Teyla, O'Connell, McLear, Keller. Those...things...that did this are still around. Take every precaution, I don't want this to go south. Stay in radio contact."

"Sir, Captain Fyr, this is O'Connell."

Sheppard was perplexed. Captain Fear? He let her answer the call

"Go ahead, Lieutenant."

"Captain...we...found Lt. Kobayashi..."

"Get what you can of him to the gate. Make sure you get his tags." She continued on, moving out of Sheppard's sight.

He jogged to catch up, noticing that the bodies were beginning to increase in number. "Captain Fear?" He queried quietly, eyes darting around. "Ah, geez!" A hand was covering his nose and mouth before he finished talking. The smell was horrid as they rounded a curve in the path and came upon the village. There was no white sand there, only red and brown with hundreds of bodies strewn about, torn open and eaten.

Even the seemingly impervious Captain took an unconscious step back, swallowing hard. "It's F-y-r. Not f-e-a-r." She gave a violent shudder before moving forward towards the mass of decay.

Sheppard followed, unable to stop his eyes from roaming, from taking in the faces frozen in fear and terror, from seeing entrails tossed about, and partially eaten bodies that were more glistening bones then anything. He couldn't imagine what seeing it all first hand must have been like. He couldn't imagine anything like this happening.

"Sir?"

He hadn't realized he'd stopped amidst the carnage, staring blankly into space. He blinked a few times, looking over at the short woman. "Captain?"

"Sir...I...I found Major Ikeda..."

She was backing away? He watched as her eyes widened and then she was down as one of the creatures attempted to maul her. Sheppard ran towards her, P90 aimed and firing. When it refused to go down and continued to tear at the Captain, he took more careful aim and fired.

The head nearly exploded from the force of impact, and the body slumped down.

He sprinted to where Lockhart was struggling from underneath the dead weight. He shoved the body off of her and hauled her to her feet by the back of her vest. "You alright, Captain?" He didn't wait for her to answer him and began looking her over himself. The stitches on the side of her face had ripped, and she was dirty, but otherwise unharmed.

"I'd be better if you weren't in my face, sir."

He stepped back, a look of relief on his face. "Well, that was exciting." He looked down at what he was assuming was Major Ikeda. The man's body had been ripped apart, and there were fresh bite marks on his face. Apparently she'd interrupt the thing while it was feeding.

"Colonel, Captain, this McLear."

"Go ahead." Sheppard leaned down and carefully pulled the Major's tags from the mutilated remains of his chest.

"All tags accounted for, sir, if you two have the Major's. There isn't enough of anybody to bring back."

It was a grim, and macabre sight, Sheppard thought as he followed the Captain back to the gate. It wasn't a way he'd want to go, being torn limb from limb, being while still alive... he just hoped it was quarantined to this planet and this planet alone.

Then again, this was the Pegasus Galaxy. And he was John Sheppard.

TBC…


End file.
